Testing For Antibodies Coming To FL; 18,986 Coronavirus Cases

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The number of coronavirus cases in Florida climbed to 18,986 Saturday night as the number of deaths rose from 419 to 458, an increase of 39 people who were taken by the illness over the previous 24-hour-period.

Four new deaths were reported in Broward County and nine were reported in Miami-Dade County on Saturday. Palm Beach County reported one new death as did Highlands County. Hillsborough County reported three new deaths. Sarasota County, Pinellas County and Duval County each reported two more deaths. Lake County reported one new death as did Brevard County and Volusia County (see Patch's county-by-county breakdown below).

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday the state had ordered an unspecified number of serological tests that will determine whether Floridians have antibodies for the new coronavirus. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration said such tests "may potentially be used" along with other clinical data to decide whether people can return to work or donate their convalescent plasma to treat other people suffering from the illness.

"There have been studies in Europe that suggest the number of people who have the antibodies far exceed the number of people who have actually tested positive for coronavirus in those countries," the governor said. Another study is expected in the next week from Stanford University.

"We think having the serology test, having access to that, will be really important," DeSantis said, noting the tests are manufactured in China. "There may be people who had an illness in February, March, didn't go to the doctor for it, and maybe they think 'hey maybe I had it.'"

The governor said the testing may provide answers to the percentage of people who have antibodies.

There were 2,607 hospitalizations from the virus in Florida as of Saturday night. The state had a 10.8 percent positive test rate out of 175,834 tests, a ratio of about one test result for every 125 Floridians.

"Once we hit 215,000 tests — which we think we will later this week — that will be one test result for every 100 Floridians," DeSantis explained. "That is a pretty good ratio."

He said South Korea had been viewed as a model for testing for the virus. "They had reached one of every 200 individuals," according to DeSantis.

With 6,758 cases, Miami-Dade County continues to have the most confirmed cases of any of Florida's 67 counties. Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale, had 2,844cases. Palm Beach County, which includes West Palm Beach, reported 1,499 cases. Those three counties account for about 60 percent of Florida's cases.

"More than 60 percent of the hospitalizations are in those three counties as well," DeSantis said. "It's not a uniform picture throughout the state of Florida."

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Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, had 698 cases. Orange County, which includes Orlando, had 923 cases as of Saturday night.

"You're certainly not seeing exponential growth," DeSantis said of the state's total. "Even in Miami it's more linear as you increase the testing."

Liberty County reported its first case of the virus Friday. It had been the only Florida county without any cases.

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In an attempt to provide as much information to our readers as possible, Patch is publishing a county-by-county breakdown of the coronavirus cases in Florida's 67 counties, along with the median age of patients, the number of hospital cases by county and the number of deaths.

Patch is updating this data twice each day as available from the Florida Department of Health. Here is the most recent data: